Railway Hotel reopens in Fordingbridge after full restoration

The Railway Hotel on Station Road in Fordingbridge has reopened following a two-year restoration that focuses on the building’s origins as a Victorian station hotel.

Built in the 1860s by the Dorchester brewery Eldridge Pope, the property was designed to serve passengers using Fordingbridge station on the Salisbury and Dorset Railway. That line closed in 1964. In the decades that followed the hotel became known first as the Load of Hay and later as the Augustus John, named after the portrait painter who lived in the town.

A major earlier refurbishment returned the name Railway Hotel and introduced a strong railway theme. The latest works by Larasian have continued that approach. The hotel offers five individually designed en-suite rooms, each named after a celebrated train such as the Orient Express, the Bournemouth Belle and the Flying Scotsman.

A self-contained two-bedroom cottage sits around the courtyard that retains elements of the original livery stables. Dining spaces, including the Pullman restaurant, are styled to recall the golden age of rail travel.

Publican Jason Schinkel has taken on the management. He brings experience from previous roles at The Three Lions in Stuckton and the Horse and Groom in Woodgreen.

Barry Robbins, chief executive of Larasian, welcomed the appointment and expressed confidence in the new team. The early focus is on the bar and dining, with meals and lighter dishes available, while accommodation can be booked for visitors to the area.

The building stands a short distance from the town centre on the western edge of the New Forest. Its operation as both hotel and public house maintains a direct link to the railway era that once shaped this part of Hampshire. Residents and visitors now have a restored venue that pairs that history with practical modern facilities.

Enquiries for tables or rooms can be made by telephone on 01425 653388 or through the hotel website.